Method of establishing bleed lines on printing surfaces



Oct. 10, 1939. o. R. HUGGINS METHOD OF ESTABLISHING BLEED LINES ON PRINTING SURFACES Filed March 26, 1938 Q jv 2111; T 0R am; a. 021%,

A TTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF ESTABLISHING BLEED LINES ON PRINTING SURFACES of New York Application March 26,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of etched printing surfaces, and it is concerned, more particularly, with the production of etched printing surfaces by photo-mechanical methods,

for printing on textiles and the like.

Various photo-mechanical methods have al-- ready been proposed for producing such printing surfaces, but these methods have met with little or no success from a commercial standpoint, as

evidenced by the fact that, in general, such surfaces are still being produced by the old and well known pantograph method, which method is a long, tedious, and expensive operation, particularly when the design is made up of a mulll tiplicity of design elements.

The present invention aims to avoid these objectionable factors, and to so simplify the operation that printing surfaces may be produced speedily, accurately, and at little expense as compared with the more complicated procedures heretofore employed.

For a complete description as to how the improved process is carried out reference may be made to the accompanying drawing wherein the design to be etched on the printing member is shown, by way of example, as being circular in form. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the production of this particular design on a printing member, but is an applicable as well to the production of other designs of different forms.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of apparatus employed in practicing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing a positive of a design element mounted on a copy board positioned in front of a camera;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing a marginally reduced reproduction of the design element obtained when a light sensitive member in the camera is exposed and the copy board revolved edgewise in a-circular path, the light sensitive coating by means of a special developing process being removed from that portion of the member which was subjected to the action of light during exposure when the copy board was revolved;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the 50 marginal band obtained by subjecting the outer portion of the unaffected reproduction to the action of light when the copy board is revolved in a circular path having a greater radius;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a screen 56 positioned in front of the marginally reduced 1938, Serial No. 198,219

reproduction preparatory to the third or last exposure; and,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the final negative obtained by means of the usual developing process when the coating on the member is developed.

In practicing this invention, a positive 10 comprising a non-light reflecting reproduction ll of a design element is created on a light reflecting surface I! either by hand or by photography. The positive H1 is mounted on a copy board 13 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is positioned before the lens of a camera I4 and light from. any suitable source is directed against it. The copy board 13 is then moved edgewise in a circular path 31.5

on a given radius, as indicated in Fig. 2, and while the copy board [3 is in motion a light sensitive member, such as a film or plate, 15 positioned in the camera, is exposed to the positive it) to create a light unaffected marginally reduced reproduction 16 of the design element. For details of the method of and means for so creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design ele ment, reference may be made to my co-pending application Serial No. 146,218 filed June 3, 1937.

The light sensitive member 15 is then removed from the camera and developed, and treated with a reversing solution, as for instance, in a weak solution of sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate, so as to remove the light sensitive emulsion from that portion of the member which was exposed to light and leave intact the unaffected marginally reduced reproduction I6 (see Fi 3).

The light sensitive member I5 is now put back into the camera 14 in its original position and the copy board 13 is adjusted so that the light unaffected marginally reduced reproduction l6 of the design element H is centered in exact register with the non-light reflecting reproduction H of the design element on the positive Ill.

The copy board 13 is again moved edgewise or revolved in a circular path having a slightly greater radius; and as it revolves a second exposure is made so that a marginal band I! of the reproduction 16 of the design element is subjected to the action of light reflected back from the light reflecting surface 12 of the positive ill (see Fig. 4).

After this exposure a plain light reflecting surface is positioned between the lens of the camera and the positive 10 and the light sensitive member 15 is exposed thereto through a screen ill (see Fig. 5). The member 15 is then removed from the camera and developed in the usual way the areas exposed to the action of light. such development the member l5 will comse (as shown in Fig. 6) an opaque band as w ich defines the outline of the marginally reduced re oduction and a plurality of trans= W :ent and opaque areas 2i and 722 respectively w in the confines of the band Ell. lhe developed member 55 may now be placed in intimate contact with a light sensitive coating on a printing member and subjected to the action of light, the coating on the member developed to fix the exposed to the action of light, washed and subjected to the action of acid to etch out on the printing member the areas shielded against 14,1, the action of light by the opaque portions. Thus marginally reduced reproduction of the design element may be created on the printing member comprising a color carrying groove which defines the outline of the design element and a plurality of color carrying cells or pockets and unetched areas within the confines of this groove.

While in the above described arrangement, the screen is photographed onto the light sensitive mern er after the marginal band is created equally favorable results may be obtained by photographing it onto the member before the marsand is created.

" nus described my invention, ll claim;

1. in a process of producing printing surfaces, the steps which include creating a positive comng a non-light reflecting reproduction of a design element on a light reflecting background, so exposing a light sensitive member to said positive that a marginally reduced reproduction of said. design remains unaffected by light, treatd member to remove only that portion of as iz'ed surface of the member affected ght during said exposure, exposing to the or light a marginal band around the Ell d A} unafiected during the first exposure of member, and developing said member.

process of producing printing sur-= tne steps which include creating a positive lght reflecting reproduction on a light reilmting bachg a light sensitive surface to ,at marginally reduced repro e ment remains unaffected, re-

member the light sensitive to the action or light during 1 reduced reproduction, exposi around the periphery of the the action of light, the boundary of oduction, and dc creating a peelr production a light sensitive positive, creating movement beand said member during said mar nally reduced light tion of the element on the cm said member the light ected to the action oi light O1. reduced reproduction, bandsaround the periphery uced reproduction to the action of -veloplng the member.

recess producing printing surs which include creating positive ,roduction of a design element, exposing a light sensitive member to said positive, revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create a light unafiected marginally reduced reproduction of the element on the member, removing from said member the light sensitive surface subjected to the action of light during the creation of said reduced reproduction, exposing a marginal band around the periphery of the reduced reproduction to the action of light, and developing the member.

5. In the process of producing printing surfaces, the steps which include creating a positive having a non-light reflecting reproduction of a design element, exposing a light sensitive member to said positive, revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create a light unaffected marginally reduced reproduction oi said element on the member, removing from said member the light sensitive surface subjected to the action of light during the creation of said reduced reproduction, again exposing the member to the positive, revolving the positive during said second exposure in a circular path having a radius greater than the radius of the circular path through which it was revolved during the first mentioned exposure to expose a marginal band around the periphery of the reduced reproduction to the action of light, and developing the member.

6. in the process of producing printing surfaces, the steps Which include creating a positive comprising a non-light reflecting reproduction of a design element on a light reflecting background, exposing a light sensitive member to said positive, revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create a marginally reduced light unafiected reproduction of the element on the member, removing from said mem ber the light sensitive surface subjected to the action of light during the creation of said re-, duced reproduction, again revolving said positive during said second exposure in a circular path having a radius greater than the radius of the circular path through which it was revolved during the first mentioned exposure to expose a marginal band around the periphery of the reduced reproduction to the action of light, photographing a screen onto the reduced reproduction, and developing the member.

W. In the process of producing printing surfaces, the steps which include creating a positive comprising a non-light reflecting reproduction of a design element on a light reflecting background, exposing a light sensitive member to said positive, revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of the element on the member, subjecting the member to the action of a reversing solution to remove i'rom said rnembenthe light sensitive sur- :Eace subjected to the action of light during the creation of said reduced reproduction, again revolving the member during said second exposure in a circular path having a radius greater than the radius of the circular path through which it was revolved during the first mentioned exposure to expose a marginal band around the periphery of the reduced reproduction to the action of light, photographing a screen onto the reduced reproduction, and developing the memher.

GWEN R. 

